September 2025 newsletter:
Get ready to tease your tastebuds at the Show!
All tastebuds will be satisfied this year at the Ashburton Show with multicultural eats, sizzling flavours, and a huge selection of food trucks .
The first ever RD Petroleum Ashvegas Chilli Eating Competition will kick off at 11am Saturday, hosted by The SpicyBoys from Christchurch, promising a fiery showdown that’s not for the faint-hearted. Contestants will battle bite by bite to be crowned the Chilli Champion, with a hot $500 for the winner, bragging rights, and plenty of red faces to go around.
But the heat doesn’t stop there! This year’s Show will again feature the Smoke Burger giveaway for the second year running, producing 1000 tasty brisket burgers for free. Ashburton Smoke will be cooking juicy ANZCO briskets, placing them in fresh Harvey Bakehouse buns and adding their famous flavour and flair - a perfect start to your Show Day.
And that’s not all! Formosa Ashburton will be set up with live flaming woks and stirring up the heat with delicious vegetable and noodle stir fries, also free of charge, thanks to Leader Brand and of course the skilled Formosa Restaurant Chefs.
Take a wander along the from the cooking action and another tasty smell will take over your senses, with the Ashburton Ethnic Forum Group who are putting on a traditional Fijian Umu. This traditional meal is similar to a hangi, using heated stones to cook meat and vegetables that are wrapped in banana leaves and enjoyed for large social gatherings.
Ashburton A&P Association President Ben Stock says it’s all about bringing people together over good food and great fun.
“The Show has always been about community spirit - sharing, laughing, and bringing the country into town, this year with a real community flavour,” he said “We want everyone to come hungry and leave smiling.”
On the lead up to the Show, the Ashburger Bash is running again this year, where the public get to vote for the best locally made Burger that represents our region. Participating restaurants are: Joe’s Garage - Ashburton, Smoke - Ashburton, Craft@Arabica - Methven and Panther’s Rock - Mayfield. More details on the Ashburton Show website.
The Burgers, Stirfry and Umu giveaways kick off at 11am on Show Saturday, on a first come/first served basis, with the Chilli eating Competition also starting at 11 and running until 2pm just inside the Seafield Road gate.
Maps and more info will be at the gate, and for those who miss out on the free food, there will be a number of meals, drinks and snacks in the food court and around the Showgrounds on both days.
Sign-ups for the chilli competition are through the ashburtonshow.co.nz website or eventfinda, and make sure you tune in to Hokonui Radio on the lead-up to the show where you might just catch some live chilli sampling, with radio host, Luke Howden, who is seriously contemplating joining the table of chilli competitors - watch this space!
All tastebuds will be satisfied this year at the Ashburton Show with multicultural eats, sizzling flavours, and a huge selection of food trucks .
The first ever RD Petroleum Ashvegas Chilli Eating Competition will kick off at 11am Saturday, hosted by The SpicyBoys from Christchurch, promising a fiery showdown that’s not for the faint-hearted. Contestants will battle bite by bite to be crowned the Chilli Champion, with a hot $500 for the winner, bragging rights, and plenty of red faces to go around.
But the heat doesn’t stop there! This year’s Show will again feature the Smoke Burger giveaway for the second year running, producing 1000 tasty brisket burgers for free. Ashburton Smoke will be cooking juicy ANZCO briskets, placing them in fresh Harvey Bakehouse buns and adding their famous flavour and flair - a perfect start to your Show Day.
And that’s not all! Formosa Ashburton will be set up with live flaming woks and stirring up the heat with delicious vegetable and noodle stir fries, also free of charge, thanks to Leader Brand and of course the skilled Formosa Restaurant Chefs.
Take a wander along the from the cooking action and another tasty smell will take over your senses, with the Ashburton Ethnic Forum Group who are putting on a traditional Fijian Umu. This traditional meal is similar to a hangi, using heated stones to cook meat and vegetables that are wrapped in banana leaves and enjoyed for large social gatherings.
Ashburton A&P Association President Ben Stock says it’s all about bringing people together over good food and great fun.
“The Show has always been about community spirit - sharing, laughing, and bringing the country into town, this year with a real community flavour,” he said “We want everyone to come hungry and leave smiling.”
On the lead up to the Show, the Ashburger Bash is running again this year, where the public get to vote for the best locally made Burger that represents our region. Participating restaurants are: Joe’s Garage - Ashburton, Smoke - Ashburton, Craft@Arabica - Methven and Panther’s Rock - Mayfield. More details on the Ashburton Show website.
The Burgers, Stirfry and Umu giveaways kick off at 11am on Show Saturday, on a first come/first served basis, with the Chilli eating Competition also starting at 11 and running until 2pm just inside the Seafield Road gate.
Maps and more info will be at the gate, and for those who miss out on the free food, there will be a number of meals, drinks and snacks in the food court and around the Showgrounds on both days.
Sign-ups for the chilli competition are through the ashburtonshow.co.nz website or eventfinda, and make sure you tune in to Hokonui Radio on the lead-up to the show where you might just catch some live chilli sampling, with radio host, Luke Howden, who is seriously contemplating joining the table of chilli competitors - watch this space!
